Month: May 2012

In "Health Journal," the Wall Street Journal reports that hypnosis is often misunderstood as a technique to place people under someone else's control. (more…)

The New York Times "Well" blog reports that many US patients anxious to lose weight are traveling across the Canadian border to undergo an operation in which an intragastric balloon is "filled with liquid and left in the stomach for up to six months." (more…)

The Boston Globe reports, "Frequent dental X-rays are associated with an increased risk of developing the most common, noncancerous brain tumors, according to a new study" published in the Journal Cancer. (more…)

The Wall Street Journal reports that most foundations and moisturizers that contain sunscreen may not have enough of the product to provide protection lasting all day. (more…)

The Los Angeles Times "Booster Shots" blog reports that the high costs of US cancer care may be "worth it," according to research published in the journal Health Affairs. (more…)

This report absolutely blew me away. See what you think. (more…)

USA Today reports that physicians "are unlikely to stop screening men for prostate cancer, even though about half agree they should, according to a small survey of physicians from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine." (more…)

In an editorial, USA Today criticizes the new guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on PSA screening. (more…)

New recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on prostate specific-antigen (PSA) screening received heavy coverage both online and in print. Additionally, all three network news broadcasts featured segments on the recommendations, totaling more than nine minutes altogether, making it the most heavily covered topic on their broadcasts. Most sources portray the recommendations as controversial, citing physicians and medical groups who are critical of them. (more…)

The Time "Healthland" blog reports that Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has argued that there are similarities between overeating and drug addiction, and that examining those similarities could help to better understand all types of compulsive behavior. (more…)

This weekend, many of us will gather with family and friends for barbecues and picnics to celebrate Memorial Day, the unofficial kickoff to summer. But, at some point between the hot dogs, hamburgers, and volleyball, I hope each of us will take time to reflect on what Memorial Day is really about – remembering the American soldiers who have lost their lives in battle to protect the freedoms so many of us take for granted. (more…)

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, "Nearly half of people diagnosed with cancer will die from some other cause, according to research presented" at the American Association of Cancer Research annual meeting. (more…)

Are online pharmacies safe and do they make medication more affordable?  A new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that pharmacies approved in the PharmacyChecker.com Verification Program sell safe medication and can help Americans achieve substantial savings. (more…)

CQ reports, "The US population overall has adequate levels of vitamins A and D and folate, but some groups could use more vitamin D, iodine and iron, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday." (more…)

In "Vital Signs," the New York Times reports, "Snorting and stopping breathing during sleep are associated with depression, even in people whose symptoms do not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea," according to a study published in the the journal Sleep. (more…)

Bloomberg News reports that a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that "as many as one in four cancers picked up in routine breast screenings pose no threat to a woman's health." (more…)

In a New York Times special report, Elizabeth Weil, a contributing writer for the magazine, wrote about a girl who "began growing pubic hair at age 6.” (more…)

A new study suggests that "coffee drinkers are slightly more likely to live longer than non-coffee" drinkers. (more…)

The New York Times reports, "A new study finds that a widely used antibiotic, azithromycin, may increase the likelihood of sudden death in adults, especially those who have heart disease or are at high risk for it." (more…)

The New York Times "Well" blog reports, "Spending time on a bicycle seat, which has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men, may also be a hazard to a woman's sexual health." (more…)

USA Today reports, "A dramatic rise in skin cancer rates among young adults is leading health officials to shed light on the risk factors, specifically tanning salons, which women are more likely to use." (more…)

On NBC Nightly News, NBC's Chief Science Correspondent Robert Bazell said that a new study "shows that all long-term hormone use after ten years or more increases the risk" of breast cancer. (more…)

In continuing coverage, USA Today reports, "For many families, the quest for the causes of autism has grown more urgent with the news that the estimated prevalence of the condition grew by 23% from 2006 to 2008, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report said last week." (more…)

A new report on autism rates in the US received heavy coverage in print and online, and was discussed for up to ten minutes on many national news broadcasts. (more…)

The Chicago Tribune  reports, "Children and teens are consuming too much added sugar in their diets, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” (more…)

The Los Angeles Times reports that a new study presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego suggests that "unroasted coffee beans – green as the day they were picked – may hold the key to cheap and effective weight loss." (more…)

HealthDay reports that a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that that "those who spend 11 or more hours a day sitting are 40 percent more likely to die over the next three years regardless of how physically active they are otherwise." (more…)

The Wall Street Journal reports that a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that people who eat chocolate more frequently tend to be thinner than those who eat chocolate less frequently. (more…)

Research on the use of bariatric surgery to treat type 2 diabetes received extensive coverage in both print and online media, as well as more than seven minutes of coverage on most national news broadcasts. (more…)

USA Today reports, "A new study confirms that the hull of popcorn has some good nutritional qualities - assuming it's not smothered in butter, oil and salt." (more…)